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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Va(i)lȝeant, Va(i)lȝeand, Valiant, (ppl.) adj. and n. Also: vailȝeantt, -(y)eant, -yeaint, vaill(ȝ)eant, -ieant, -yant, wailȝeant, wailleant, -iant, valȝant, -(y)eant, -yeaunt, -ien(t, valliant, walȝeant, walieȝeant, velȝeant, -iant, (velvet); vailyeand, vailleand, -ande, wail(l)ȝeand, wailyeande, -ȝen, val(e)ȝeand, valeȝand, vallyeand, valyand, valiand, walȝ(e)and, walieand, wallieȝ(e)and, -iand, velȝeand, vailyeing. [ME and e.m.E. vaylaunt, vaillaunt(e, valiant (all Manning), vailant (Gower), valyant (?a1400), valyeant (1534), valeaunt (1535), OF vailant, -and, vaillant, AF vaylant, pres. ppl. of valoir.]

A. adj. 1. a. Of a person: Valorous, courageous, bold. Chiefly attrib. Also const. in a circumstance.The pres. ppl. form is more commonly found in predic. use.(1) attrib. ?1438 Alex. i 1 (title).
This buik of the most noble and valiant conquerour Alexander the grit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 109/19.
Welcum most valyeant and victorius, Welcum invincible victour 1570 Leslie 41.
The king causit convene ane greyt army of the maist valyeaunt men a1578 Pitsc. I 75/2.
It is nocht the dewtie of walieȝeant campieounis to feir at the sight of thair enemieis a1578 Pitsc. II 270/24.
Valliant c1590 J. Stewart 66/31.
The valȝant Alciode c1615 Chron. Kings 6.
Walȝeant(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 110/59.
Vailyeant 1513 Doug. v viii 66.
The vaillyant campion Agane to bargane went als hoyt as fyre 1513 Doug. v xii 35.
The hait fyre consumys [etc.] … Thar was na strenth of vaillyant men to waill, Nor large fludis on ȝet that mycht avail 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 4.
Vailȝeantt Qwene Voada 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 5.
How the Romanis war … disconfist be wailȝeant Galdus 1531 Bell. Boece I 27.
Ane vailyeant man, and weill provin in fatis of armis 1531 Bell. Boece II 95.
Sen ye, be merciall prowes, hes put sa vailyeant pepill afore to flicht 1549 Lamb Resonyng 81/9.
Vaillieant 1562-3 Winȝet II 3/3.
The wailȝeant cheiftane of God … Nehemias 1570 Leslie 155.
Ane vailyeaint and excellent prince 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 123.
Hume wes first that ouir the walis wan … he playit the vailȝeant man a1578 Pitsc. I 366/7.
Wailleant c1610 Melville Mem. 257.
Yonder is ane of the maist vailyeant men of our tym … and England had proif of his qualites baith against them vpon the borders wher he did them dyuers ruffles [etc.](c) a1568 Weddirburne in Bann. MS 240b/76.
And raid on horsbak lyk ane velȝiant knycht(d) 1490 Irland Mir. I 10/5.
Walȝeand 1490 Irland Mir. III 134/31.
Valȝeand Hercules slew him c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 109/4.
Most wyse, most valyand, most laureat hie victour 1533 Boece 72b.
The sepulturis of valeȝeand men … suld as thingis haly and honourable be 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 327.
The said Adame wes haldin ane valȝeand man of weir a1578 Pitsc. I 86/18.
Walieand(e) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1672.
How worthie Marcus Regulus, Maist vailȝeand, prudent and victorious … For commoun profite cheisit for to die 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1964.
Maist vailȝeand folk and verteous in thair liues c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1488.
Thair was nane mair nobill knicht, Mair vailȝeand, mair wyse, mair wicht 1570 Sat. P. xiii 114.
Ane vailȝeand tyrane, ane febill campioun(f) a1578 Pitsc. I 55/16.
Ane … great part of the maist wallieȝand men in the throt of the battell slaine a1578 Pitsc. I 74/5.
Money wther wallieȝeand gentillmen of this realme(g) a1538 Abell 100b.
A wailȝen and hardy man(h) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 328.
I rede ane sayndis-man ye send … Of the proudest in pall and haldin of prise, Wise, vailyeing, and moist of valourpredic. 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 592.
Quhan evir it will pleis you to command me … assur your self of me so far as I ame vailȝeant(b) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1286.
Than that seymly be sight said to the gent, Wes vailyeand and verteous, foroutin ony vice 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 29.
Gallowaye; quhais pepill war maist wailȝeand and full of chevelry(2) 1513 Doug. i i 34.
Of Troiane blude a pepill suld discend Wailliant [Sm. Vailȝeand, Ruddim. Ualȝeand] in weir 1513 Doug. ii vi 82.
Of our fallowis … twa pair … Valiant [Sm. vailȝeand, Ruddim. vailȝeant] in armys(b) 1494 Loutfut MS 32a.
And wes man mare hard mair stark & mair vaillande … in strange landis than in the propre land of his natur 1494 Loutfut MS 131a.
Walliand in his travail agell in his doyngis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 183.
His lume is waxit larbar … He has bene waistit apone wemen … And ȝit he is … Alse curtly … As he that is mare valȝeand in Venus chalmer 15.. Clar. iii 1095.
Knichtis that war valiand in feild

b. Of an action, state or thing: Performed with or characterised by valour.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 98/11.
He did full mony valȝeant deid 1513 Doug. i v 111.
Valiant [Sm., Ruddim. vailȝeand] knychthed 1513 Doug. i ix 111 (Sm.).
Vailȝeant 1531 Bell. Boece I iii.
The vailyeant and weirlie dedis of … kingis 1549 Compl. 5/20.
Ane verteous captain can nocht exsecut ane mair vailȝeant act as quhen he purchessis pace ande concord vytht out diminutione of his rycht ande vitht out … slauchtir … amang the pepil 1549 Compl. 147/6.
He that hed neuyr dune ane vailȝeant act contrar his enemeis, vas reput for ane inciuile villaine 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6971.
The king heiring his vailȝeant tornament, He send for him 1575 Reg. Privy S. VII 57/2.
Concidering the faithfull and vailyeant service done to his majestie a1578 Pitsc. I 148/6.
Vailleant(b) 1513 Doug. ix x 117.
Till … the victor thus he said, ‘Eik and continew thy new vailȝeand dedis' c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 326/20.
Faith is anne lywely thing, mychty in wirking, wailyeande ande strang 1531 Bell. Boece I 2.
Vailyeand [M. wailȝeand] a1561 Norvell Meroure 10.
Death thou art dead, for all thy strength & might: Thou art no more now vailleand nor wight a1568 Bell. in Bann. MS 367a/34.
Velȝeand a1570-86 Maitl. F. 422/89.
Ȝour kynd Quhilk was ay worthy walȝand & wys

2. a. Of a person: To be worth (a specified sum). b. Of goods: To be of a specified value.a. 1562 Inverness Rec. I 94.
To admitt nocht ane to be ane brouster of vnfre men accept thai that ar vailleant of xx lib in gudis and geyr 1562 Inverness Rec. I 95.
Actit souertie … that his syster … sall be responsall and vaillȝeant to pay creditouris still xx lib. in gudis and geyr 1563 Ferg. Answer 8.
These same … Popes had more riches then all the ministers of the euangel in Scotland and Ingland bothe are valȝeant of in temporall gear 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a, 13b.
Na partie … bruikes this table, except thai that ar not valient xl lib. in guidis nor landis 1567 Crail Kirk S. 19 Nov.
To pay … the iij tyme x lib. gif he be valeȝand 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 520.
Quhilk Murdo is … vailyeand in landis and gudis mair nor twenty thowsand pundis 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V 23.
The said … sall pay ane unlaw of ten pund to the townis use gif he be valiant, or, in cais of his poverty, sall be punist in his persoun 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV 557.
The said Thomas is bot ane puir man … not valiant in substance and guidis ane hundreth pundis 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 525.
Gentlemen, valiant tuentie chalderis of victuall or tua thousand merkis of yeirlie rent 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. 4 Sept.
Waillȝeandb. 1540–1 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 230.
Quhill thai may preiff that he haif v lib. vallyeand gudis 1564 Perth B. Ct. 89b.
Tha could nocht aprehend na guidis poundable … excepting certane caill nocht valeant the forsaid annuale

3. Valid in law or usage.(a) 1583 Mining Rec. 18.
Our said soverane lord … will and grantis that this present contract be als vailyeant and sufficient … as gif it were [etc.] 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 143.
Their … definitiue sentence in lawe or religion is … absolutely valiant(b) 1610 Tracts Peerage 42.
Mention is maid in Disputatione of Causes in the said Parliament … of William Haye … agains David Haye … touchand the spoliaȝione of the lands of Mochane callit Brydsquarter and Limplumb, acclemit to velvet restitutione

B. absol. as noun. 1. Valiant persons, the brave. a1568 Bann. MS 85b/8.
Quhen as thingis vnluckley dois frame It becumis the velȝeant to suffer the same

2. a. An object or quantity of something of a particular value. b. A person's worth, what he is worth in goods, etc.; his property.a. 1483 Acta Aud. 112*/1.
A vaileant of gold weyand a rose nobleb. 1515 Douglas Corr. 71.
Thai wald geif mekyll of ther valȝeand [Doug. (Sm.) I p. xl, walȝeand] to haf his favouris 1581 Calderwood III 508.
To whom he will professe to bestow his heart, his blood, and his vailyeant, regarding nather boast nor blowing 1606 Acts IV 286/1.
The saidis decreittis … may bring the danger of the ȝeirlie violent proffeittis vpoun the persones … thairby surmounting often tymes thair haill valient gif they be put to … executioun 1610 Logie Par. Hist. I 67.
Ane piece of silver that was my fathers' valien 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 187.
If I had knowen … I would not have received you in my shippe although you would have given me al your valient for the doing it